The Princess and her Cape
by Shadow-00-knight
Summary: Batman's cape is missing and a certain princess is responsible for it. But for what purpose would she take the cape? is it connected with her recent Insomnia? "I didn't steal it…..here, you can take it" Diana said, stuttering through the words with embarrassment. She shrugged off the cape and laid it on the bed. Sequel


**This is an idea that was floating around in my mind for a while. Happens after an incident where Diana was under control of Darkseid (like supergirl).**

A strange thing happened recently, but it was so odd that the world's best Detctive could excuse himself for not seeing the connection sooner. The thing that happened was that his cape had gone missing, granted that he had more than enough spare and that losing the cape itself wasn't much of a loss as there had been incidents in past where his cape was either destroyed or he had willingly given them to Some people he saved when they need it but the fact that his cape was taken from right under his nose and he had no clue as to who or why irked him. But some time later after searching, he found it in a seemingly plausible location.

The Batman never forgets things but he reasoned it by thinking maybe He could understand if he misplaced his cape or maybe flash was playing a prank. But few days later it happened again, and then later he found it When the pattern kept happening again, he reprimanded the flash to stop playing around who by the way swore that he had nothing to do with it. Batman was sure that he his cape was taken during the day but Since it always seemed to return to him, in the monitor room or in his wardrobe, he didn't think too much and concluded that it was flash's prank. After all, thinking someone or something was taking his cape for some other purpose was just too paranoid even for him.

Then he noticed something else, Diana started not sleeping. Even the immortal Princess like humans needed at least a good seven hours of sleep a night, more if their mission had been particularly taxing. When she started sleeping only a few hours a night or discarding sleep altogether and covering other league members monitor room shift, he was worried and began to wonder why. The Batman had observed as Diana had fallen asleep once in canteen during dinner, her face falling forward and missing her plate by inches.

"you feeling alright, princess?"

"Uh…..sure" Diana had said, blinking back fatigue as she had dragged herself out of the canteen and into her room.

When the Batman had gone to check on her, her bedroom door was locked and she wouldn't answer, although he could bypass her lock he decided not to. So he went back to the monitor room to check on current events and noticed his cape was once again missing when he entered his room to refresh. It wasn't until few days later that he finally saw the connection between the two. Diana had disappeared hours earlier and the Batman went to the monitor room and covered her nightly shifts to figure out if the two incidents were indeed connected. He noticed the absence of Diana in the monitor room and went to check on her. He was surprised to find Diana asleep in her couch rather than her bed already, he was surprised even more to find her holding his cape. The Batman's immediate reaction was confusion.

Why would she do that?

why would she do that and not even ask?

For days now he thought Flash was playing a prank on him or if he had started to become forgetful of all things, that his great mind was actually slipping and it was all because of Diana had been taking his cape. He felt a bit angry. Just the fact that she was taking it and then secretly replacing it proved his point that she was hiding something.

But then he noticed something, he saw how comfortable and relaxed Diana looked. Curled into a little ball on one end of her bed surrounded by his cape, she looked just as radiant and beautiful as she really was and the Batman's anger dissipated.

No, to be more precise he could never stay mad at Diana but that didn't mean that they weren't definitely going to discuss the cape stealing in the morning. Doing something that he would never do if she were conscious, the Batman leaned down and scooped Diana into his arms as easily as he could manage without waking her. "You know, for someone so strong you're incredibly light. You are indeed the gods finest creation, aren't you?" the Batman said with some humour as he carried her to her bed. Diana was perfect.

The Batman laid her on her bed and was about to program the door to lock behind him so the Batman could easily exit the room and deny his involvement. He had almost crept out of her room when he heard a voice behind him. "Bruce?" The Batman turned around and saw Diana sitting up in bed looking uncertainly at him, half way between being asleep and awake.

"Just go to sleep, Diana" the Batman prodded her gently but she was already rubbing her eyes partly due to confusion of his presence in her room.

"Did you carry me?" she asked, looking around her room.

She started to smile as if the idea seemed to greatly amuse her. The Batman felt his cheeks colour slightly, it wasn't that big of a deal and he didn't want her to think it did.

"Yes I did. All of you and that stolen cape you're using" the Batman said with some humor to direct the attention away from his overly intimate action to her. The Batman thought that Diana might laugh or at least smile but she didn't do either. She blushed heavily and looked embarrassed.

"I didn't steal it…..here, you can take it" Diana said, stuttering through her words with embarrassment. She shrugged off the cape and laid it on the bed.

"I've been going crazy looking for this for days. Why do you keep taking it?" the Batman asked. He thought it was an unassuming question, one he asked in a neutral voice but Diana's reaction was immediate.

"I gave it back. Just forget about it. I won't take it again" Diana said, pulling her legs to her chest and looking away from him. The Batman wasn't that great at always sensing normal human emotions but even he could feel that something wasn't right with the way Diana was acting.

"I'm not… mad. " the Batman said carefully because he thought maybe Diana thought he was mad.

" I am just worried. What was the point of it?"

"Nothing! Just…..just let me go sleep, Batman" Diana said, overly defensive and then a second later she seemed to deflate like a balloon. Diana was staring down at the bed, the floor, anywhere but him and he hesitated. He had a sudden urge to run towards her and give her a hug. But he really didn't like Diana seeming so sad and he was still curious so he prodded her.

"Diana, is something bothering you?" the Batman asked, as delicately as he could. He sat down on the bed next to her, his cape rumpled between them. He wasn't sure how much help he could be but he knew he wanted to help. The Batman expected a fight, expected her to push him away or yell. She was so tired physically, and the Batman suspected emotionally, that she simply gave in. "I…..I haven't been sleeping well lately." Diana admitted wearily.

The Batman didn't think it was such a big revelation but Diana seemed to not like admitting it so he knew better than to say something as he knew that he might her pride.

"its okay princess, sometimes after a rough mission we all find it hard to relax" Batman told her in a voice he thought was very helpful but Diana cut him off by continuing.

"No, I can go to sleep…..I just don't want to" Diana said, flinching slightly as if she was afraid. "Every time I go to sleep I have nightmares about the rime Darkseid Controlled me. Terrible nightmares."

The Batman nodded slowly, he understood as he had his fair share of nightmares and were horribly plagued by them. he remembered a time when his nightmares made sleeping a living hell.

"I'm…..sorry" the Batman said. He felt bad for Diana but uncomfortably out of his element too as he never talked about his nightmare to anyone. "Would you…like to…tell me about it?"

The Batman never wanted to tell anyone his nightmares, they were too personal. But he thought that maybe Diana was different, she seemed to want to talk about everything. Diana was silent and staring down for so long that the Batman thought she wasn't going to tell him. Eventually, she broke the silence, her tone so quiet she was almost whispering.

"Ever since Darkseid invaded my mind and made me almost hurt everyone….I keep dreaming about it" Diana said. " I had this weird feeling that I wasn't going to be able to get out of his control. I thought about how terrible it would be if It happened. I was powerful and yet felt…powerless" Diana seemed ashamed and Batman was just about to open his mouth to tell her that she had no reason for being upset at being mentally controlled by Darkseid but she kept on talking and her voice kept getting louder and louder. "Every time I close my eyes, I'm in that planet" Diana said, her eyes wide and fearful. "I feel so much loss and emptiness and hate…I know it's not mine but I feel it all the same. Every time I sleep I'm his minion and I know I never will escape. I watch in horror as I kill people…my mother, my sisters, my friends and … you" Diana paused, looking like she wanted to cry but she didn't. "I kill and kill, sick at my own actions until I'm not. Eventually I start to burn with hate and I like the killing it always ends with me enjoying it."

Batman was so taken aback he didn't know what to say. He had always considered the possibility and planned for event if Diana and Superman ever took things too far and started playing god but the idea that Diana could enjoy killing was hard to believe but he could see that the very thought terrified her. He must have taken too long to respond because Diana wrapped her arms around her legs to hug herself.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said that." She said, clearly mortified.

"No…..no" the Batman said quickly, not wanting her pull away. "You don't have to be sorry. Being manipulated like that and making you do things is very traumatizing. I know…its normal to have nightmares after an event like that. Trust me, I know it's troubling though."

"But…..the killing….it felt so…..real" Diana said " it's one thing that you are absolutely against"

She looked so small, so scared that the Batman couldn't help but reach out toward her. He didn't really understand what he was planning on doing until his arm was already around her. She gratefully leaned into his touch, making it impossible to get away. He heard her sniffle against his chest and he didn't look to see if she was crying, he didn't think she'd want him to.

"Diana…..you are good. You are a good, kind and honest person" The Batman said honestly "You would never ever become a monster like in your dreams. That's just a side effect of the consciousness being meddled with. But I wish you had told me sooner, I could have helped you with dreamless sleep."

"I didn't know…I just….was hoping it would pass on its own" Diana said quietly, still nestled against his chest. The Batman and Diana sat in silence for several minutes, still nestled closer than they ever really had been. The Batman couldn't think of anything to say but he sensed that she had calmed down. At the very least, Diana felt relaxed against him and she wasn't sniffling anymore and then a thought struck him.

"Diana…what does the nightmares have anything to do with you taking my cape?" He thought maybe he shouldn't have asked but he was curious.

Diana paused. "Don't laugh" she said, pressing her face a little more against him.

"I won't laugh" the Batman said while he nodded his head.

Diana hesitated for a long while, not moving away from his chest so he could look at her. "Your cape…it 'feels' like you" she finally said, her voice quiet and hesitant.

"Well of course it does, I wear it all the time" the Batman replied while still.

"I know" Diana said, seeming embarrassed again but she still carried on with what she was saying. "I like that it reminds me of you, it's comforting. When I hug it, it smells like you, makes me feel like you're there. I know that sounds stupid….But I don't have nightmares when I hold it. It makes me feel safe. Makes me think you would always catch me if I fall"

Silence fell between them at Diana's admission. At first, the Batman didn't know what to say. Batman wasn't very good with these feelings and emotions that's why he used to initially keep himself from getting too close to her but he was now sure that this was coming dangerously close to the line of things they just didn't talk about. Sometimes Batman felt there was more between him and Diana than he could explain, it was more than she would talk about. The very idea that his presence was comforting to her or that she knew what his scent was at all was part of that 'more' he always avoided.

"Why didn't you just tell me that?" the Batman asked. Maybe she could explain the strange bond that he felt from the beginning, as something told her she felt it too.

"Don't you think it's….. Weird? I don't know, I was embarrassed" Diana said honestly.

"It's not weird. I'm…glad it can help you" the Batman said slowly and carefully. He felt like there was more to say, more he wanted to say but he knew it wasn't the time. He felt the burning need to tell Diana that he could comfort her when she had nightmares and that he wanted to help her more than his cape. But he wasn't ready to say that either. There was, however, one thing he knew he could say.

"Diana, I don't want you to feel that you can't tell me things that are bothering you" he said honestly. "I know sometimes I seem cold or say something harsh…but that's really not because I don't care. I do care. I don't….I don't want you to feel all alone and feeling bad." The Batman was glad that the words came to him without his usual cold tone. He really hadn't known what else to say and he was grateful something came out. Talking about these feelings was not something Batman does but he hated the idea of Diana suffering alone because she was embarrassed to tell him something she had no reason to be embarrassed about.

"Here…take the cape" the Batman said as he put his cape on her because Diana still hadn't spoke and it was killing the Batman, fearing he'd made her more uncomfortable. He placed the cape on her shoulders and she shrugged into it.

"Keep that as long as you need it. You obviously need it more than I do plus I have spare" Diana's cheeks tinted but she smiled. When she still didn't say anything after several moments the Batman couldn't take the silence anymore.

"I sometimes have nightmares that almost scare me" he told Diana. She lifted her head from his chest and looked into his eyes and asked " what do you do then?"

"Alfred used to help me. I remember once when my screaming caused Alfred to rush into my room. He shook me har to wake me up from my dream" Batman said as he remembered that time, it was just a few days after his parents had been killed. " when I woke up I was afraid of going back to sleep. I didn't want to close my eyes as even that haunted me"

Diana rested her head against his chest and listened to his story, she knew that it was rare for batman to talk about his past and she felt something warm inside and also sadness as she imagined Bruce's childhood as she guessed what his nightmares would have been about.

"Did you sleep that night?"

"yes, well eventually. Me and Alfred stayed up while longer. He told me to think about the happy times I had but it was tough as my mind was still in dark place. So he took me to den and showed me an old video and I fell asleep before I knew it"

"Was that video that boring?" Diana asked with a hint of humour " what was on it?" she asked curiously

"it was An old video of some party. In it I saw my parents having a slow dance and looking happy as they could be. That image of them together filled my mind and replaced my nightmares that night"

"I've never slow danced before." Diana admitted

"that's unexpected. I thought with amount of gala you are invited to it would have already happened"

"I haven't been in man's world for that long and the only person who ever dragged me to dance floor was some dumb playboy" she said with a smirk

"dumb? I think He must have been very brave" he replied

Suddenly he stood up and extended his hand to Diana. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at his hand and realized what he was trying to do.

"I don't bite, Princess" he told her, voice low and soft, and she smiled and took his hand. Quickly, he pulled her into him, putting one hand on her waist, and the other holding her hand. The scene looked as if it was pulled right out of someone's fairy tale, the image of a knight clad in black dancing with no music with a beautiful princess. She smiled, settling her face into the crook of his neck, and breathing him in. He smelled like life and adventure and love and safety and something that was just so purely Bruce. As they swayed softly, they settled into a pattern, their breathing regulating and their hearts fluttering, all three between the two of them. In a bold move, Diana pressed a soft kiss under Bruce's chin. This was Bruce and Diana, Batman and Wonder Woman, so comfortable in their own ways and yet a bit oblivious.

"Alfred always knows what to do, doesn't he" Diana said as she sat back on the bed beside Bruce.

" You know I don't believe in god. But if I did I will be thanking him for Alfred" He said as he thought about Alfred who saved his life in more ways than one.

"Sorry. I got carried away" he said. Diana's grin got wider as she leaned in and gave him a tentative hug. The Batman felt something inside of him melt, as if he needed the touch as much as she did. "You didn't get carried away." Diana assured him. "This helped a lot. Thank you."

"Well glad to be of help. But I think it time for you to sleep, princess" The Batman said. Diana let go of her hold on him and lay back in her bed. He sat beside her bed and waited till she fell asleep.

"Goodnight Bruce" she murmured as she fell asleep with a smile on her face forgetting her worries and nightmares

He looked at Diana and brushed few strands of hair from her face and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight Princess"

 **I was planning to add this to my other story but was almost sure I will forget half of my ideas by then sooo thought I upload it as one-shot. So how did you like it? Was character bit too ooc?. And pls do leave a review as based on them I may upload other One shots I have planned.**


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